No Onion No Garlic Paneer Butter Masala..!!!

Cooking meals on Fridays seems to be a tough task for me as it is considered to be complete vegetarian day at my home. The other two members of my tiny family can’t even imagine a single day without some non-veg stuff. To us, the Bengali people vegetarian day means absence of onion and garlic even as we consider them as non-veg item. So it turns out to be really a great deal for me to cook some veg dish which will be tasty so that my husband and the little one don’t have to negotiate with the taste.

For cooking any veg dish,paneer (Indian cottage cheese) is the best choice. So, today I am going to share my version of “Paneer Butter Masala” recipe which I prepare mostly without onion and garlic. The whole recipe entails of very few simple steps but the taste is no less than the paneer cooked with onion and garlic.

So , here comes the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Fresh Paneer: 250 gm
• Tomato: 2 (chopped) (large and juicy, make a smooth paste of the chopped tomato with little water)
• Ginger Paste :11/2 tsp.
• Turmeric Powder :1 tsp.
• Cumin Powder :1 tsp.
• Coriander Powder:1 tsp.
• Salt: to taste
• Sugar: 1 tsp.
• Asafoetida (hing) : a pinch
• Cumin Seeds (Whole) : 1 tsp.
• Red Chili Powder : 1tsp.
• Garam Masala Powder : 1/4 tsp.
• Cashews : a handful (Soaked in warm milk)
• Milk:1 Cup
• Fresh Cream : 2 tbsp
• Butter :2 tbsp.
• White Oil :1 tbsp.
• Water: 1/2 Cup (if required)

Process:

• Cut the fresh paneer in your desired shapes and soak these in warm water with pinch of salt for sometime.
• Make a smooth paste of the milk soaked cashews and keep it aside. 
• Make a smooth paste of the chopped tomato.
• Heat oil in a deep bottomed vessel and temper with whole cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds starts to crackle add the butter. Then add the ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, asafoetida, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder,salt, sugar and mix thoroughly.
• Pour the cashew paste into the vessel and cook until the oil start releasing from the sides of the vessel.
• Once oil starts releasing from the sides of the vessel pour the milk into it and let it boil for 2 minutes.
• Now add the paneer and the fresh cream and mix well. At this time if required you may add little water. Cover the vessel and cook for 5-6 minutes. Don't over cook it unless the paneer will be hard.
• Uncover the vessel and sprinkle the garam masala powder and cover the vessel again for 1 minute only so that the aroma could be absorbed by the curry.
• Turn off the flame. Paneer butter masala is ready to serve. Serve it with roti, paratha or polao.

                           

                                                                         Enjoy Your Food!!

Summer Special Vegetable Curry With Watery Gravy...!!!!

“SUMMER” – the word itself brings a lot of heat in INDIA. But heat itself is not the core thing which brings worry to this side of the world. Heat brings many sidekicks which are even bigger reason to raise your heart beats. Dehydration, indigestion, stomach upset, infections are few to name. Spices are something which highly need to be avoided as they create the above mentioned issues if not used appropriately. So the question comes what to eat?? Without spices the food seems blunt and no one wants to eat a healthy food which is not tasty. Then the bigger question comes to find exactly what spices to eat and exactly how much amount so that a food can be healthy enough to beat the heat and tasty enough to beat the tongue.

As I mentioned in my earlier posts that the Mother Nature provides a huge set of fruits and vegetables during this summer season to cope with the extreme heat. So here comes the recipe of a mix vegetable gravy which is not only tasty but also extremely healthy and can be eaten daily without harming either the health or tongue.

So, here comes the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Potato: 2 (Peeled & Cut into wedges)
• Raw Banana: 2 (Peeled & Cut in small Pieces)
• Pointed Gourd: 4 (Peeled and cut in small pieces)
• Ridge Gourd: 2 (Peeled & Cut in small Pieces)
• Cauliflower: 1 Cup florets
• Tomato :1 large and juicy ( cut in cubes)
• Ginger Paste: 2 tsp.
• Coriander Seeds Paste : 2 tsp.
• Cumin Seeds Paste:2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder :1 tsp.
• Salt: to taste
• Sugar : 1/2 tsp.
• Cumin Seeds (Whole) : 1 tsp.
• Green Chili :3-4 nos.
• Coriander Leaves
• Oil: White or Mustard (3-4 tbsp)
• Water: 3-4 Cups

Process:

• Heat oil in a deep bottomed vessel andd temper with cumin seeds and green chili. Once the cumin seeds start to crackle add the tomato pieces and stir well. Cook until the tomato becomes little mushy.
• Now add all the vegetables and fry them in medium flame with salt and turmeric powder for few minutes.
• Add the ginger paste, cumin-coriander seeds paste, sugar, coriander leaves and mix thoroughly with all the vegetables.
• Cook until oil starts releasing from the sides of the vessel.
• Pour the water now, increase the flame and cover the vessel with a lead and cook until the vegetables are done properly.
• Uncover the vessel and taste the seasoning. Add salt or sugar if required.
• As it is a watery gravy add some more water if required and cook for some more time.
• Turn off the flame. Summer special vegetable curry with watery gravy is ready . Serve it with steaming hot rice and enjoy with a slice of lemon and a wedge of onion.

                                               

                                                        Enjoy Your Food..!!!

Keralian Mutton Curry..!!!

Kerala Mutton Curry or Keralian Mutton Curry is a very zesty fragrant mutton preparation which goes awfully well with almost anything. If you are eyeing for a unique weekend mutton recipe you may attempt out  this one and I can guarantee you that you won’t remorse. 

Here comes the detail recipe of the same :

Ingredients:

• Mutton: 500 gm.
• Onion: 3 (large, Chopped)
• Ginger : 2 ' long (Paste)
• Garlic: 4/5 cloves (Paste)
• Tomato : 1 Large and juicy (Chopped)
• Curry Leaves: 7/8
• Green Chili : 2-3 (Chopped)
• Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp.
• Coriander powder : 1 tsp.
• Cumin Powder : 1 tsp.
• Red Chili Powder: 1 tsp.
• Salt : to taste
• Sugar :-1/2 tsp.
• Coconut Milk : 1/2 Cup ( I used Maggi coconut powder.)
• Cinnamon Stick : 1
• Cardamoms: 4-5
• Cloves:4-5
• Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp.
• Oil : 4-5 tbsp (White, Mustard or coconut oil, I used mustard oil)
• Water: 2 Cups.

Process:

• Wash and pat dry the mutton pieces and keep them aside.
• In a heavy bottomed pressure cooker, at first heat the oil you are using. Temper with curry leaves,cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamoms. once the aroma starts coming out add the tomato pieces. Cook for few minutes and add the onion paste. Sprinkle little salt and cook until the onion becomes translucent.
• Now add the mutton pieces and sprinkle some more salt.On high flame fry the mutton pieces for 5-7 minutes.
• Now gradually add the ginger-garlic paste,turmeric powder, salt, sugar, cumin powder, coriander powder, chopped green chili, red chili powder and the coconut milk.Mix thoroughly all the spices and cook until oil starts releasing from the sides of the cooker.
• Pour two cups of water and cover the cooker. Cook until 3-4 whistles come out. Turn off the flame now.
• After few minutes uncover the cooker and  taste the seasoning. If required turn on the flame again and adjust the gravy. It usually has a thick gravy and not a watery one.
• Kerala mutton curry is now ready to serve. Serve it with steaming hot rice or paranthas or anything you like.

                                                                      Enjoy Your Food...!!!!

Bhetki (Spicy Barramundi Fish Curry With Baby Potatoes ) Macher Kalia !!!!!!

Being a non-fish lover I used to contemplate that cooking fish would be a dreadful job to do, during my former period of life before marriage. Then after being married to a emblematic fish lover I had no option other than cook the same whether I eat that or don’t. But I should acknowledge here that he always hesitates to buy fishes, he loves to eat, thinking of me. But nowadays when I see not only him, but also the little one of our family is a distinctive fish lover and loves to palate different types of fish items I never dither to buy different types of fishes and tryout various dishes with those.

Today I am going to share a very old-fashioned, traditional Bengali fish recipe of Bhetki fish  ( Barramundi ), Bhetki Kalia which I prepared using baby potatoes.But before that I should give a small description about the above mentioned  fish for my non-Bengali readers who are not familiar with the same.
The barramundi or Asian seabass should not be confused with the Barramundi cod or the Australian members of the genus Scleropages (which sometimes are referred to as barramundis). The fish is of large commercial importance; it is fished internationally and raised in aquaculture in Australia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Israel, Thailand, the United States, Poland, and the U.K. Barramundi have a mild flavour and a white, flaky flesh, with varying amount of body fat.In Australia, it is an iconic table fish revered as a quintessential Australian brand.
In Bengal, locally caught bhetki (barramundi) is a popular fish among Bengali people, mainly dished in festivities like marriages and other important social events, cooked as Bhetki macher paturi, bhetki macher kalia or coated with suji (semolina) and pan fried. It is very popular among people who are usually sceptical to eat fish because of their tiny pin bones. Bhetki fillets have no pin bones in them.


However, let's come to the topic now. Here is the detailed recipe I am going to share today :


Bhetki Kalia , Spicy Bhetki Fish Curry with Baby Potatoes : 






Ingredients :

• Bhetki Fish Fillets :8-10
• Baby Potatoes: 6-8
• Onion Paste : 3 tbsp heaped.
• Ginger -Garlic-Dry Red Chili Paste (2-3 dry red chili): 11/2 tbsp.
• Tomato: 1 Large & Juicy (Finely chopped)
• Salt: To taste
• Sugar:1/2 tsp.
• Turmeric Powder: 2 tsp.
• Coriander Powder : 1tsp.
• Cumin Powder : 1 tsp.
• Garam Masala (Dry roasted and ground powder of 1/2" Cinnamon stick, 2 Cardamoms and 2 Cloves ) : 1/2 tsp.
• Mustard Oil : 4-6 tbsp.
• Yogurt : 1 tsp.
• Warm Water : 2  Cups.
• Fresh Chopped Coriander Leaves.
• Fresh Cream : 1 tsp.

 Process:

• Wash the fish fillets well and wipe them off with a kitchen towel or tissue paper. Marinate them with turmeric powder and salt and keep it aside for few minutes.
• Heat 2-3 tbsp of mustard oil in a deep bottomed vessel and fry the fish fillets till golden yellow and keep aside. Discard the blackish fried oil. 
• Wash and peel off the baby potatoes and fry them in a pan with little white or mustard oil along with little salt and turmeric powder. Keep these potatoes aside.
• Now take 4/5 tbsp of fresh mustard oil in the same vessel. Add the tomato cubes and sprinkle salt and cook until the tomato cubes becomes mushy.
• Now it's time to add the onion paste. Add it and cook until the onion paste gets mixed with the tomato & becomes translucent
• At this time add the turmeric powder, salt, sugar, coriander and cumin powder and cook till the raw smell goes off.
• Now add the ginger-garlic and dry red chili paste & the beaten yogurt and mix thoroughly. Add the fried potatoes at this time.Cook until the oil starts releasing from the sides of the pan.
• Now pour the warm water and cover the vessel and cook in increased flame until the potatoes become tender and cooked well.
• Uncover the vessel and add the fried fishes. Cook it in low flame for 5-7 minutes. Now taste the seasoning and add salt or  sugar if required.
• Adjust the gravy now. If required add little more warm water. This is not a very watery or a very thick curry. Add the garam masala powder and cover the vessel for a while so that the curry could absorb the smell. Turn off the flame now.
• Bhetki Kalia is now ready. Garnish it with cream and coriander leaves.
• Serve it with steaming hot rice and enjoy.

                                                                      Enjoy Your Food..!!!

Mustard Mutton Curry!!!!

This is a  laid-back fabulous method of making mutton which  I learned from one of my friends . After few discrepancies today I am going to share my sort of making Mustard Mutton Curry.

Here it is:

Ingredients:

• Mutton: 500gm
• Yogurt: 2 tbsp.
• Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp.
• Salt: To taste
• Mustard Oil: 3-4 tbsp
• Onion: 3 medium sized, chopped
• Ginger Paste: 1 tbsp.
• Garlic Paste: 1 1/2 tbsp.
• Green Chili: 2 nos. ( You may increase the number and adjust the hotness according to yout choice)
• Black Mustard seeds : 11/2 tsp.
• Curry Leaves: 4-5
• Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 tsp.
• Warm Water : 1/2 Cup.

Process:

• Soak the mustard seeds in the warm water for half an hour. Soaking the mustard seeds in warm water and grinding it with the green chilies reduce the pungent flavour of the mustard.
• But before grinding throw away the soaking water and use fresh water to make a smooth paste. Then sieve the mix with a strainer to get rid of any thick particles of mustard left.
• Marinate the mutton with yogurt turmeric powder, salt and half of the mustard oil for 1-2 hours.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add curry leaves and chopped onions. Fry til the onions become soft and translucent. Then add the ginger and garlic paste. Mix well and then add in the marinated mutton.
• Cook until the oil comes out. Mix the mustard -chili paste into the mutton. Give a nice stir and pour the warm water.
• Cover the lid of the pressure cooker and cook until 2/3 whistles come out.Turn off the flame.
• Uncover and taste the seasoning. Add salt or sugar if required. Increase the flame to adjust the gravy. This mutton preparation has a thick gravy so do not add much water. Turn off the flame.
• Sprinkle the garam masala powder and cover the lid for a minute so that the curry could absorb the aroma.
• Your Mustard Mutton Curry is now ready. Drizzle raw mustard oil.
• Serve hot with steaming hot rice.

                   

                                                 




                                                                  Enjoy Your Food...!!!!

Achari Daal Paratha With Leftover Daal..!!!

Finishing the surplus/leftover daal, is the toughest job to do for me and  my family members. Most of the time, uselessly I keep it inside the refrigerator thinking of doing something later with it and then throw it into the garbage bag. 

But this time I didn’t do this, rather I made something new using it, in the next morning. Yes, I made “Daal Paratha” for the  breakfast and that too in a twisted way, to give the parathas a special touch. And it was“Achari Daal Paratha” .

Everyone in my family loved it, enjoyed it and happily finished it. 

Can you visualize my "win-win" face in the end? Yes, I was deliriously happy and why shouldn't I ? Atlast I found a way out.

Anyway, let’s come to the point now.Here is the detailed process following which you can also make “Achari Daal Paratha” with your leftover daal.”


Ingredients:

For Stuffing:

• Leftover daal(I used pinkish red lentil,masoor daal) : 1 1/2 Cup
• Chopped Onion: 2 tbsp.
• Ginger Paste: 1 tsp.
• Hot & Sour Pickle(I used mango pickle, you may use any variety of your choice) : 1 tbsp.(mashed the pulp of the mango including masala and discard the hard portion).

For the Dough:

• Whole Wheat Flour( Atta) :- 1/2 CUp
• All Purpose Flour: 1/2 CUp
• Salt: 1/4 th tsp.
• White Oil : 2 tbsp to fry the paratha and 1 tbsp to knead the dough.
• Water: To knead.

Process:

      Stuffing Preparation:

• Start boiling the leftover daal in a non stick pan. Once the daal becomes thick add the chopped onion and ginger paste. Cook for 3-4 minutes more until the raw smell goes off.
• Now add the pickle and mix well. Cook until all the water dries up and the mixture gets ready to use as stuffing.
• Keep it aside and let it cool for sometime.

Dough Making:

• Take a bowl. Mix in atta, maida, salt and white oil. Add water slowly and make a firm yet soft dough. Cover it with a wet cloth and let it rest for sometime.
• Now divide the dough into few medium sized balls. Every ball should be equal in size.

 Making Paratha:

• Roll out each ball into a small circle dusting with wheat flour.
• Keep one tbsp of stuffing in the center and gather all the corners, close it, seal it well and press lightly.
• Now roll out the sealed stuffed ball carefully dusting with wheat flour powder.
• While rolling them out keep the sealed side of the ball on the top and don't apply too much pressure.
• Repeat the same process and roll out the other balls.
• Now heat a flat pan or tawa. Put the rolled paratha on it, when the bubbles will come, spread a tsp of oil all over the paratha and flip it over to the other side. 
• Spread another tsp of oil on the other side until the brown spots appear on both the sides.
• Repeat the process to fry the rest of the balls.
• Achari Daal Paratha is ready now.
• Serve the paratha hot with curd,pickle or raita.

                                                                           Enjoy Your Food..!!!